Hamilton Gardens is a public park located at the southern end of Hamilton City New Zealand. It is the most popular tourism destination in the region that attracts more than 300,000 visitors a year.
The garden is divided into five parts, some of the most significant garden design traditions are represent in the Paradise Garden Collection, different aspects of the relationship between people and plants are represent in the Productive Garden Collection, different forms of garden fantasy are represent in the Fantasy Garden Collection, story of plants selected and bred for the garden are represent in the Cultivar Garden Collection, different historic interpretations of an idealised landscape the are represent in the Landscape Garden Collection. Those stories of the five collections come together and become one special theme of the Hamilton Gardens. (Hamilton Gardens, n.d.).
I have visited Hamilton Gardens for more than once, my last visit was on the 14th April, 2010. One of studies focused on the production of heterosexual bodies and spaces in the wedding tourism context in New Zealand (Johnston, 2006). Therefore, this time, out of heterosexuality and tourism perspectives, I pay close attention how heterosexual bodies and spaces are produce in the wedding tourism context at Hamilton Gardens as Hamilton Gardens is a popular wedding tourism destination (Hamilton Gardens, n.d.). During my visit, just like what I have expected, I saw a couple having their wedding in one of the gardens. But to my surprise, many visitors seem to get used to see weddings in the gardens and pay little attention to it. Then, I recalled Hubbard’s (2000, p. 206) saying that moral heterosexual performances are naturalized in a variety of everyday social settings in Hamilton Gardens public park.
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